Habelito Hernández

Habelito Hernández
played as Juan Diaz in 2002

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.

• Born January 11, 1981 in Bonao D.R.

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Habelito Hernández was a minor league infielder for seven years, but peaked in A ball.

Habelito debuted with the 2000 DSL Reds, hitting .222. He improved to .293 with nine homers with the same club in 2001. He was two homers shy of Dominican Summer League co-leaders Tiago Campos and Rudy Guillen. In 2002, Hernández came stateside with the GCL Reds and put up a .235/.257/.337 line.

His best season was 2003, when he hit .377/.392/.673 with 42 runs and 32 RBI in 36 games for the Billings Mustangs. He went on the disabled list with a dislocated shoulder. After three rehab games with the GCL Reds, he hit .250/.267/.250 in eight games for the Potomac Cannons to round out the year. He was named the Pioneer League's All-Star second baseman despite only playing half the season in that loop; had he qualified, he would have led in slugging, beating out Lou Palmisano. Baseball America named Habelito the #6 prospect in the PL, between Xavier Paul and Warner Madrigal. Only Ian Stewart ranked higher among infielders.

From there, it was downhill. In 2004, the Dominican infielder split time batted just .211/.223/.291 in 96 games for the Dayton Dragons; he was 6 for 13 for the GCL Reds on a rehab assignment after missing a month with a left ankle injury. In '05, he hit .282/.301/.420 in 47 games with the Dragons and missed a month with a right shoulder injury. He again did well in his rehab assignment in the GCL.

Hernández ended his minor league career in 2006 with the Dragons (.271/.284/.378) and Sarasota Reds (6 for 19, 2B) while moving to first base. He is with the Dominican national team for the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games.